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Artemis Mission Set to Launch: First Crewed Lunar Flight in Over 50 Years
The first possible launch date for the Artemis program‘s mission to orbit the Moon – and crucially, with a human crew – is February 6th.This mission marks a notable milestone, representing the first crewed flight to lunar orbit in over half a century.
The Massive Undertaking of Transporting the Space Launch System
moving the rocket and spacecraft to the launchpad is a complex technical operation and a visually stunning spectacle.The rocket and spacecraft stack (without fuel) weighs approximately 1,600 tons. However, the transporter must support a much greater weight, as the rocket is attached to a massive tower, the mobile launcher platform.
This platform maintains the rocket in a vertical position and houses numerous mechanical and electronic systems essential for pre-launch preparations and the launch itself. The rocket and mobile launcher are moved to the launchpad as a single unit.
Therefore, the task involves transporting around 5,000 tons over a distance of 6.5 kilometers, from the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) to the launchpad. The VAB is a massive structure designed for assembling large rockets.
Crawler-Transporter 2: The Only Vehicle for the Job
Only one vehicle
